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   BOGOTA DC

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CATALINA






CALDAS
Inhabitants: Caldenses

This booming department is found in central-west Colombia between the western and central cordilleras (mountain ranges) and the valleys of the Magdalena and Cauca rivers.
Caldas is bordered by the departments of Antioquia, Tolima, Risaralda and Cundinamarca. Its area is 7,888 square kilometres, including the impressive Nevado del Ruiz and the Los Nevados national park.
It has nearly 1.2 million inhabitants.
Before the Spanish conquest, this territory was inhabited by various native tribes such as the Pijaos, Ansermas, Armas, and Chamíes. Among them were the Quimbayas, recognized for their beautiful work with gold.
Sebastián de Belalcázar was one of the first Spaniards to arrive in the region. He founded the city of Anserma in 1532.
The department was created in 1905 and named after the learned Francisco José de Caldas. In 1966, two large regions were separated from the territory and reorganized as the departments of Risaralda and Quindío. At present the three departments form the so-called "Coffee Axis of Colombia".
Its important production of coffee, beans, bananas, rice, sugar cane and corn crops makes its economy one of the wealthiest in the country. Its mining industry exploits gold, silver, coal and limestone.
The department of Caldas has nearly 1.2 million inhabitants. The Caldense land is a garden of beautiful women. A representative of the Caldenses' beauty is Luz Marina Zuluaga, who in 1958 became the only Colombian woman to be crowned "Miss Universe".

Capital: Manizales
Manizales is called the “city of the open doors”. It has nearly 450,000 inhabitants.
It was founded in 1848 by a group of Antioqueños (people of the department of Antioquia) who headed to south-western Colombia to carry out the so-called “exploration of the Twenty”. Its members established their residences in that region.
Nowadays, Manizales is the most industrialized town of the coffee axis. The city has splendid mansions, beautiful parks and very pretty places worth visiting such as the famous gothic Cathedral —the city's symbol— the Historic Center comprising about 150 national buildings which have been classified as national monuments, Los Yarumos eco-park and the very well-known bullfighting ring.
At the University of Caldas, you will find the Museum of Natural History, which has one of the best butterfly collections in South America, the Anthropological Museum, which has nearly 3,500 Pre-Columbian pieces that were found in many tombs of the Quimbaya people, the Botanical Gardens, which have an impressive greenhouse, a meteorological station, a collection of ornamental and medical plants and an arboretum with a great variety of national trees.
Manizales is an important cultural and artistic center. It has been considered for many years the most prominent city of the country for theatrical art.

   



The Flag of Caldas


The Emblem of
Caldas

Important Figures and Outstanding People Born in Caldas

>> Writers, Poets and      Intellectuals
>> Artists
>> Actors (In Spanish)
>> Musicians, Composers and     Singers
>> Outstanding People from      Various Fields
>> Beauty Queens
Music


To listen to the songs from that region,
click on the speaker below

www.colombia-sa.com
Música del departamento






Annual Events

January:
The Fair of Manizales (It starts the bullfighting season), the International Coffee Competition, the National Folk Festival, the National Festival of the Trova , the Craft domestic market (Manizales).
The Carnival of the Devil (Riosucio).

March:
The Equine Exposition Fair

August:
The National Festival of Pasillo (Aguadas)
The Word Gathering in Riosucio.

August / September: The Latin-American International Theatre Festival (Manizales).



Anthem of Caldas

(In Spanish)

Music and Lyrics: Guillermo Ceballos

Chorus
¡ Viva Caldas ! Espléndida comarca,
de virtudes glorioso caudal
de Colombia modelo que marca
el compás de su marcha triunfal.
I
Descendientes de casta bravía;
de los Andes magnífica luz,
somos raza donde arde la vida
con destellos de ciencia y salud.
II
Salve Caldas comarca pionera
de progreso fecundo vergel;
salve cuna de raza procera
de Colombia parcela más fiel.



               





Other Municipalities

Aguadas
and Salamina are classified as national monuments.

Anserma is one of the warmest and welcoming Caldense towns.

La Dorada
is a very important river port.

Marmato
is called the “golden manger of Colombia".

Other cities include Riosucio and Chinchiná.



Airport

La Nubia – Manizales.



National Natural Park

Los Nevados

Location: On the highest point of the central Cordillera (Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío y Tolima)
Area: 38.300 hectares.



National Monuments

The Historic Center of Manizales

The towns of Aguadas and Salamina.



National Cultural Heritages

The Fair of Manizales was classified "National Cultural Heritage" of Colombia in 2006 This classification includes the bullfighting season.

The Theatre Festival of Manizales, the bambuco and pasillo contests and the Carnival of Riosucio were classified "National Cultural Heritages" of Colombia in 2005.




 







































































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